Newsletter

Posted September 6, 2013 12:11 am

Alternatives to a very bad idea - the saga of Syria

The strike, war, “quick intervention” supply of weapons, deployment of equipment and deployment of troops (this means human beings — even in “training camps”) will not solve this problem. Killing bin Laden didn’t stop terrorism and this knee-jerk activity will not curtail chemical weapons. The issue is imminently larger than that and sadly much more macabre.

We must have a solid vote against having the United States play the “World Top Cop.” President Obama is not the General of the Universe. Retribution is one thing, but the United States has many more critical issues to attend to than blowing up chemical plants, stockpiles and people. It’s a “hydra-head.” The United States absolutely has to learn to be a “team player” with leadership in other domains.

We must begin immediately, deliberately, and with all due diligence and diplomacy to address the Security Council of the United Nations to come to an agreement that chemical weapons, biological weapons, and nuclear weapons are forbidden by the United Nations and will not be tolerated. This is an international issue and must be addressed as such.

That said — here comes the elephant in the living room. If the United States does not join the United Nations in its peacekeeping work, we are most assuredly the outlier and will continue to be considered an arrogant and narcissistic bully. Again, the United States cannot play “World Top Cop” while refusing to participate as a team member. So — there may be a commander who is better than an American. So? We are in this together. Remember Eisenhower as Supreme Commander in World War II. What if the Allies followed our current foolish, narcissistic mentality?

The United States must turn its resources to serious and substantial Humanitarian Aid. You see the polls. Americans do not want this invasion. The richest nation in the world can do this with far less lives lost and with possibilities provided to the dispossessed. The American people can and will resonate with this approach.

It is for us to direct our political will to our two Senators and one Representative to work against and vote “no” for this invasion (call it what you will) as a way to a more peaceful and proactive way to participate with the international community in this crisis and to forestall worse tragedies.